The marbled murrelet — a small seabird native to the North Pacific — is a flagship species for healthy ecosystems. Murrelets are listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act in Oregon, Washington and California, yet little is known about the nesting habits of this curious, short-beaked seabird in Oregon. Enter a world-class research team from Oregon State University.

Students studying renewable materials at Oregon State traveled with students and faculty from European universities to visit industry spots, labs and other locations on a one-in-a-lifetime study abroad experience.